DigitalResources Electronic Survey Report 2011-030 ® A Sociolinguistic Profile of the Abadi Language Group Alison Kassell Margaret Potter A Sociolinguistic Profile of the Abadi Language Group Alison Kassell and Margaret Potter SIL International® 2011 SIL Electronic Survey Report 2011-030, March 2011 © 2011 Alison Kassell, Margaret Potter, and SIL International® All rights reserved ABSTRACT The Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) conducted a sociolinguistic survey of the Lala, Abadi, and Toura languages for two weeks during June and July 2003 in the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. Observation and sociolinguistic interviews were used to investigate language vitality and speakers’ attitudes toward neighbouring languages. Additionally, interviews with community leadership were used to investigate interest in language development It was found that the Abadi language is currently vital, although indicators suggest that vitality may decrease in coming years. Abadi speakers hold a positive attitude toward their language and community leaders are interested in language development. 2 Contents Abstract 1. Introduction 2. General information 2.1 Language name and classification 2.2 Language location 2.2.1 Description of location 2.2.2 Maps 2.3 Population 2.4 Accessibility and transport 2.4.1 Airstrips 2.4.2 Roads 2.4.3 PMV services 2.4.4 Water routes 2.4.5 Trails 2.5 A note on the use of “Motu” and “Hiri Motu” 3. Methodology 3.1 Sampling on the macro level 3.2 Sampling on the micro level 3.2.1 Interviews 3.2.2 Observation 3.2.3 Wordlists 4. Churches and missions 4.1 History of work in the area 4.1.1 United Church 4.1.2 Christian Revival Crusade 4.2 Churches’ attitude toward vernacular use and development 4.3 Language use in churches 4.3.1 As reported by church leadership 4.3.2 As observed 4.4 Summary 5. Schools 5.1 History of schools in the area 5.2 Sites and size 5.3 Staff 5.4 Enrollment, attendance, and academic achievement 5.5 Attitude to the vernacular 5.5.1 Elementary schools 5.5.2 Pinu Community School 5.5.3 Avabadina Primary School 5.6 Summary 3 6. Social sketch 6.1 Social cohesion 6.2 Leadership 6.3 Population movement 6.3.1 Immigration 6.3.2 Emigration 6.4 Marriage patterns 6.5 Contact with other languages 6.5.1 Trade partners 6.5.2 Interaction with visitors 7. Cultural vitality 7.1 Material evidence 7.1.1 Evidence of traditional influences 7.1.2 Evidence of outside influences 7.2 Social practices 7.2.1 Traditional practice 7.2.2 Outside practices 7.3 Summary 8. Lexicostatistical data 8.1 Characteristics of the language 8.1.1 Consonants 8.1.2 Vowels 8.1.3 Word order 8.2 Reported dialect grouping 8.2.1 Reported speech differences 8.2.2 Relative prestige of speech varieties 8.3 Methodology of lexicostatistic dialect survey 8.4 Lexical similarity 8.5 Interpretation 9. Language-use description 9.1 Children’s language use 9.1.1 As reported 9.1.2 As observed 9.2 Adults’ language use 9.2.1 As reported 9.2.2 As observed 9.3 Bilingualism 9.4 Summary 10. Language attitudes 10.1 As reported 10.2 As inferred from behaviour 11. Conclusions 4 Appendix A A.1 Materials published in or about the language A.2 Lexicostatistical data explanation A.2.1 Affixes A.2.2 Non-conforming lexical similarity sets A.2.3 Possible phonetic correspondences A.3 Abadi wordlists A.4 Lala and Toura wordlists References 5 1. INTRODUCTION Between 19 June and 4 July 2003, the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) conducted a language survey of the Lala, Abadi, and Toura language groups in the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. The survey team consisted of SIL personnel Namsoo Kim, Duckshin Kim, Alison Kassell, Margaret Potter, and Michael Rueck. The purpose of the survey was to determine whether a language-development program would be viable in the Lala, Abadi, and Toura area. The goals of the survey were: • To investigate the vitality of the Abadi language. • To investigate whether the community is likely to use vernacular literature. • To investigate whether the community leadership is interested in a language program. Sociolinguistic interviews and observation were used to investigate language vitality and potential program viability. Wordlists and data obtained in sociolinguistic interviews were used to identify language and dialect boundaries. 6 2. GENERAL INFORMATION 2.1 Language name and classification Abadi is an Austronesian language. The Ethnologue (Grimes 2000) gives the following classification for Abadi [kbt]: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central- Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Papuan Tip, Peripheral, Central Papuan, West Central Papuan, and Gabadi. Abadi is called Kabadi [kbt] in the Ethnologue and Gabadi by speakers of the surrounding languages; Abadi is the term the speakers themselves use to refer to their language and will hereafter be referred to as Abadi in this report. According to the Ethnologue, Abadi has 49 percent lexical similarity with Toura. Austronesian (1262) | Malayo-Polynesian (1239) | Central-Eastern (706) | Eastern Malayo-Polynesian (541) | Oceanic (502) | Western Oceanic (237) | Papuan Tip (62) | Peripheral (20) | Central Papuan (14) | West Central Papuan (6) | | | Gabadi (1) Nuclear (5) | | Kabadi (Abadi) Doura (Toura) Kuni Mekeo Nara (Lala) Waima (Roro) [kbt] [don] [kse] [mek] [nzr] [rro] 2.2 Language location 2.2.1 Description of location Abadi speakers live in the Kairuku District of the Central Province of Papua New Guinea, approximately 80 km northwest of Port Moresby. Abadi is bordered on the west by Lala, on the north by Fuyug [fuy], and on the east by Toura and Mountain Koiali [kpx]. Abadi has five main villages and numerous secondary villages, located near the Hiritano Highway and near the coast (see Table 1 and Map 1). In Pinu, it was reported that the village of Toutu is a mixture of Abadi speakers, Motu, speakers, and Australians. Educators in Pinu reported that children from Toutu 7 speak Motu, rather than Abadi. Therefore, Toutu has not been considered an Abadi village in this report. Aro’a was listed by Tauberschmidt and Onken (1999) as a Abadi village; however, no one in the Abadi area named Aro’a as a Abadi village when they were asked what villages belonged to their language group. The survey team suspects that Aro’a is the church land in Pinu where the Aroa Circuit Minister lives. Unfortunately, this data was not verified during the survey. Table 1. Abadi villages as reported by Abadi residents Main villages Secondary villages related to main villages Koupuana Koeana Keveona Avabadina,a Maobadina, Keve’o Magana, and Camp (1, 2, 3) Ukaukana Mava and Idu Idu Magavaira Pinu a Avabadina is immediately adjacent to the village of Keveona and hosts the government services to the area, such as the Primary School and Aid Post. It appears that only the staff for these services live in Avabadina. For the purposes of this report, it has been considered to be a subsection of Keveona. 2.2.2 Maps Map 1. Abadi language area 8 1 Map 2. Abadi language boundaries 1 These boundaries are language boundaries only and are not intended to establish land ownership boundaries. 9 2.2.2.1 Villages and facilities in the Abadi Area (see Map 3) Map 1. Villages in the Abadi area2 Table 2. Latitude and longitude of main Abadi villages Village name Latitude Longitude Keveona S 9 00 37.0 E 146 51 39.7 Koupuana S 9 00 24.6 E 146 52 00.0 Magavaira S 9 01 58.3 E 146 52 03.6 Pinu S 9 03 03.8 E 146 50 04.2 Ukaukana S 9 00 45.9 E 146 51 02.7 2.3 Population Table 3 shows the population figures from both the 2000 National Population Census and as reported in the villages. A best estimate is given, based on the Census, if no further information was available or a modification of the census in conjunction with reported data. 2 The School and Aid Post indicated by Keveona are in the area of Avabadina, a subsection of Keveona. 10 Table 3. Abadi population figures Secondary Village 2000 Census Reported Best villages related vame figures data estimate to main village Koupuana Koeana 450 500a 500 Keveona Maobadina, Keve’o 443b 600 500c Magana, and Camp (1, 2, 3) Ukaukana Mava and Idu Idu 739d Not visited 739 Magavaira 288 500e 400f Pinu 280 780g 780h TOTAL 2,342+ 2,919 a 610 total with approximately ¼ living in Port Moresby. b Keveona (304), Keve’o Magana (38), Camp 1, 2, 3 (no census data), Maobadina (101). c Middle figure between 400– 600. d Ukaukana (461), Mava (278), and Idu Idu (no census data). e 400–600 reported, including those living in Port Moresby; take the middle figure of 500. f Middle figure between 288 and 500. g 780 plus 390 in Port Moresby or elsewhere. h Accept 780; the census statistics reported 46 houses, but residents said there were 70; this appears to be correct. In conclusion, the population of the Abadi area appears to be between 2,342 and 2,919. Reportedly, there are also a few Abadi speakers in Toutu (total population 82), and there are around 500 additional Abadi speakers residing in Port Moresby. 2.4 Accessibility and transport The majority of Abadi villages (Keveona, Mava, Maobadina, Magavaira, and Pinu) are easily accessible by road and are about 2 hours driving time from Port Moresby. Ukaukana and Koupuana are located on the far side of the river. There is no bridge across to any of the villages but there is a steep incline down to the river on both sides, therefore, the river must be forded on foot.